Change Brought By You
by Morning Sunrise 656
Summary: This is Scarlett's life and what I think happens after Rhett leaves.There will be lots of changes and new adventures and things will be added.I really hope you like it.I will update chapters every week.Please review!Thanks!


Scarlett O'Hara wasn't a very pretty girl, but men flocked to her, it was always natural for Scarlett. She honestly couldn't say she didn't like the attention all the young men gave her at balls, when they surrounded her and begged her to tell them all her secrets. But of course, they were merely there, nothing more than a new toy. Scarlett would flirt with them, but then she set her boundaries. The only man she ever thought about marrying was Ashley Wilkes.

Scarlett swore up and down Ashley loved her, and would possibly propose any day, what with all the visting he'd been doing since he'd come home from his Grand Tour. Oh, how she hoped he would propose. All her time trying to impress him would not have been in vain if he did. All the times she had dreamed of him getting down on one knee, it would soon be reality.

All these things Scarlett hoped soon came crashing down to reality, though, when Brent and Stuart and told her a dreadful misfortune: Ashley, _her Ashley, the Ashley who was going to propose any day,_ was marrying his cousin, Melanie Hamilton. "Great balls of fire, no", Scarlett had thought. How could Ashley do this to her, after he had led her on in such a manner? How could he marry plain, shapless, mealy-mouthed Mealnie Hamilton? It simply had to be a mistake. Oh, yes. That was it. This was simply one of the Tarlton twin's practical jokes. It had to be. But there was always a chance it wasn't...

"Are you sure about that Stuart? Is he really going to marry her?" Scarlett said managing to hold back tears and keep a smile, even if that smile was fleeting fast.

"Yes, quite sure. Her Aunt Pittypat told us when we went to Atlanta. That has got to be the strangest woan I've ever met, you know", Stuart said propping his elbow up and the step.

This couldn't be true. It was just Brent and Stuart pulling her leg. Why did they keep talking and acting so happy when her heart was shattering into a thousand crumbling pieces? Couldn't they see? "Maybe Pa knows something", Scarlett thought in hope that Ashley wasn't engaged. That was it, Pa would know everything. After all, he did go to Twelve Oaks today, prehaps he knew something was going to happen.

Soon, the red-headed, expelled twins bored and gathered their pack of hounds and Jeems, mounted thier dark steeds, and rode off into the sunset. Whaen the fading sound of hooves went completely away, did Scarlett get up from her seat and move to the railing. She looked out over the miles of land, either already planted or ready for planting. The darkies coming in from working the fields, tired and beaten. The blood-red sunset glowing on the horizon, sparkling with a glimpse of pink or orange every now and then. This was home. This was Tara.

She tapped her foot impatiently, where was Pa? The font door of the large squeaked open, and the stern-faced Mammy came out, arms crossed. "Miss Scarlett. Wat you doin out here widout yo shawl? Dis evenin eir will make you cetch a col'. Now, we don wont dat."

"I don't need my shawl, Mammy. It feels fine out here."

"Miss Scarlett, you need yo shawl. Won you come in da house.?''

"You go fetch my shawl, Mammy, I'm going to sit out here and watch the sunset."

Mammy huffed, but finally agreed, and lumbered back inside to get her shawl. Once Scarlett was sure Mammy couldn't see her, she left the comfort of the porch and went to wait for Pa and the crook in the rode. She looked back occasionally to see if Mammy was watching her from her bedroom window, the last time Scarlett did this, Mammy pitched an awful fit. She had said it wasn't ladylike.

Scarlett sat down on a stum and looked towards the plantation her father would be coming from. She couln't see it, it was too far away, but she could picture it clearly in her mind. A long drive, boardered by several massive trees which acted as protectors to the house, a beautiful home, only matched by the home on Tara, with Greek-style archeticture, a grand staircase loomed like a mountain when you entered thier door, countless walks and paths carved into the yard. Scarlett had somehow seen Twelve Oaks as a second home.

And Ashley. Twelve Oaks made her think about him even more. She could just see him in his study, worrying over numerous books and scribbling down notes. It had Alswys been like Ashley to stay up late and study, he had told her so.

Then, Scarlett could her the hoofbeat of her father's horse. He appeared on the rode, and urged the great beast he was riding to go faster. The horse galloped faster and faster, then jumped the fense seperating Gerald O'Hara from his daughter.

Gerald O'Hara was a short stocky man, but had a good soul, and always wore a smile upon his face. He used that smile to smile upon his daughter. "Katie Scarlett O'Hara, not going to tell on me for jumping like Suellen, are you?"

"No, not at all. I'm no tattletale like Suellen, but you know what happened a month ago. You knee is barely heeled."

Gerald siently wished all the women would quit making a fuss over his knee, after all, it was only a sprain, even if the doctor had proclaimed it broken. "Oh, I need a son, or a grandson at least. Then they would to know what it feels to be trapped in a house full of women, all concerned for your saftley", Gerald said jokingly.

Scarlett smiled, but quickly changed the subject to Ashley. "Pa, did they act funny over at Twelve Oaks."

"Funny how?"

"Oh, a little more excited than usual. Like, prehaps, there is something exciting about to happen. Like people act at engagements."

Geralds smile lost its luster and turned to a frown. "Scarlett, I take it you've heard about Ashley's engagement to Miss Melanie Hamilton. Yes I did notice, but we are not to go sticking our noses where they don't belong. Especially our own neighbor's business."

A small cry escaped Scarlett. Her worst fear was confirmed. "But Pa, why's Ashley marrying her? Plain-faced Melanie Hamilton? He loves me, I'm sure of it."

"Katie Scarlett, do you mean to tell me you've been chasing after a man that doesn't love you, when you could have any young man in Georgia?"

"But he does love me, he does, he does. He told me he does." She said, knowing he had not. But even if he didn't say it, that didn't mean he didn't feel love for her, right?

"Well, whether he told you makes no difference. He's promised to Melanie Hamilton. They're going to announce it tomorrow night at the ball, the supper intermission most likely. Now don't feel too bad. Mr. Wilson in town has quite the eye for you."

Mr. Wilson. The Mr. Wilson who lived in town, the one she had promised to dance with but never did at last year's Christmas Ball. Why, she didn't give a thread and needle about Mr. Wilson. No one did. Besides, he was nearly four times her age. "I don't like Mr. Wilson."

"Well there are plenty of other fish in the sea besides Ashley Wilkes. Now, we better get home, before your mother sends Mammy after the both of us."

Scarlett walked home, after refuseing to ride with her father. She sulked all the way, even went so far as to slouch a bit. She'd better not tell Mammy, she be so angry. Ladies never slouched.

She climbed the steps of the porch, the pain in her heart seemed to be weighing her down. She lingered a little by the door, and looked over to the two rockers seated side by side. How mamy times had she and Ashley been sitting there, all the while she had been hoping he would steal a kiss. Just one kiss.

She sighed and went in, immediately attacked by Mammy. "Were'd you go? You kno yong ladies don go runnin off like dat! Especialy so close to dark time!"

Scarlett did her best to ignore Mammy and took her place at the far left corner of the dinner table to eat supper with her family. She remained quiet while they all went through the days trials and tribulations, only speaking when a question was directed at her. When she answered she din't offer to explain if it was unclear. She couldn't care about that now. She had Ashley to think of.

After supper, she went up the staircase and to her room, stalked after by Mammy, who helped her pull of her green flowered dress, and put on her nightgown. After Mammy had disappeared into the hall, did she lay down. Then a realization hit her. All she had to do was tell Ashley she loved him, and he'd forgrt Melanie and marry her instead. After all, he didn't know she loved him. Of course, people would talk, especially the Hamiltons, but none of that would matter as long as Scarlett got Ashley in the end.

Scarlett would do anything to get Ashley, even crush a few hearts in the process.

Suddenly, feeling sleepy, Scarlett's eyes fluttered shut and she fell asleep. She thought everything would work out tomorrow at the barbeque.


End file.
